Does this really work?

[jengossman]

I am beginning to question this program.  I am highly educated with a great deal of experience.  However, I cannot seem to get any work through here.  Please advise me on how I can best promote my skills.

[prestonhunter]

Jenifer:

It can be difficult to get started.

But once a freelancer has a track record, things are easier and Upwork can work quite well.

I am no different from MANY Upwork freelancers in that I rarely even send proposals. I can stay as busy as I want to be simply by continuing to respond to requests from current or former clients, and by accepting invitations from new clients who proactively send me invitations.

But it didn't start out like that for me, and it doesn't start out like that for anybody.

It took me about a year to really hit my stride and reach the point where I don't need to send out proposals if I don't want to.

Upwork was much easier to justify when it was COMPLETELY FREE for freelancers to send proposals. There was literally no cost involved in setting up a profile and getting started on the platform.

Upwork can still work for newcomers, but it is a better place for those who are NOT new. That may well be the same for most things.

[yitwail]

Jenifer, you have impressive credentials. However, clients might not all scroll down to the education section of your profile to see that you have a Master's in Ed. I would suggest doing a search for established freelancers with similar skiill sets and scrutinizing their profiles. I don't think a profile has to be a wall of text, but I think yours could be filled out a bit more. A portfolio is also worthwhile in my opinion, if only to break up the text with some visuals. But that's just my 2 cents.

[a_lipsey]

I think you need to sell your expertise a little more and what makes you unique and "better than the rest." 

Not all clients will know what your certifications mean you can do and why it's better (they rarely do), so it may help to spell that out. Remember, clients are coming here because they don't know what we know - and often they don't know what they don't know. They often don't even know what they need, just that they need help. 

You have strong experience and credentials, it's just not highlighted very well yet. 

[robin_hyman]

Definitely elaborate on your real world experiences and provide examples of your work.  It's hard for a freelancer to start on Upwork.  It's harder when you haven't proven yourself outside of Upwork.  Since you are experienced, make it stand out.  

It can take months to get your first job on the platform.